Infinitely variable holder for flexible knives, markers or guides



Nov. 14, 1967 Filed Jan. 3, 1966 T KNIGHT 3,352,187

E. INFINITELY VARIABLE HOLDER FOR FLEXIBLE KNIVES, MARKERS OR GUIDES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR [LIA/I M TKNIGHT ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 14, 1967 T. KNIGHT 3,352,187

E. INFINITELY VARIABLE HOLDER FOR FLEXIBLE KNIVES MARKERS OR GUIDES Filed Jan. 5, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [Lwm I KNIGHT I II ATTORNEYS.

Uited States Patent 3,352 187 INFINITELY VARIABLE I IOLDER FOR FLEXIBLE KNIVES, MARKERS OR GUIDES Elwin '1. Knight, 7433 Hennessy Road, Jacksonville, Fla. 32210 Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,494 Claims. (Cl. 83-657) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an infinitely variable holder for flexible knives, markers or guides and more particularly to a holder for one or more flexible cutting bands or strips of a suitably springy material, having a knife edge and used for cutting or marking of material, or as a guide for other tools.

It is a prime object of this invention to provide a means whereby a flexible cutter may be adjusted and supported into variable shapes such as single or double circles, ovals, complex curves or in a single line for cutting out material.

It is another object to provide a cutting means that may be easily and quickly assembled for cutting out variable shapes, sizes, etc., in a material.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the holder of the invention completely assembled for cutting a loop;

FIG. 2 is a similar view showing the holder arranged for cutting a circle;

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional View taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of one of the sliding blade supporting elements;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the frame and the upper and bottom spider web elements;

FIG. 7 is a sectional detail view taken along line 77 of FIG. 1; and,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of one of the spacing elements.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, reference numeral 1 indicates generally the variable holder of this invention.

The holder 1 consists of a substantially U-shaped frame which is indicated generally by 2 and has an upper portion 3 which may be fixed or integral with the frame itself.

Legs 4 of frame 2 are provided with grooves 5 which are cut into the inner sides thereof and extend longitudinally as shown in FIG. 6.

Both upper and lower portions 3 and 6 will be hereinafter referred to as the spider web. Such term will become apparent as the description progresses.

The upper portion 3 is provided with a square cutout 7 and a series of symmetrically arranged, dove-tailed grooves 8 which radiate from cutout 7.

Lower portion 6 is also provided with radiating, dovetailed grooves 9, as shown, and further, with longitudinally arranged tongues along its sides.

Upper portion 3 forms four-sevenths of the spider web and lower portion 6 forms three-sevenths of the spider web so that when lower portion 6 is inserted in legs 4 and pushed up to abut upper portion 3, grooves 9 will communicate with square cutout 7 to form the spider web pattern.

When abuttted, the upper and lower portions 3 and 6 form a square within frame 2.

Spacing elements 11 are provided and may be of varying widths. Each spacing element 11 is provided with tongues 12 along its ends for sliding in grooves 5 when inserted in legs 4. Also, each spacing element 11 is provided with a dove-tailed groove 13 extending its width, as seen in FIG. 8.

If desired to add rigidity to frame 2 and to prevent removal of lower portion 6 and spacing elements 11 from the frame, a removable bottom side 14 (see FIG. 1) may be inserted as shown. Bottom side 14 will be similar to spacing element 11, but of the same dimensions as leg 4 with the grooving omitted.

If it is desired to secure spacing elements 11 and lower portion 6 in selected positions in frame 2, threaded holes 15 are bored into the legs 4 at expedient intervals and set screws 16 (see FIG. 3) are threaded into the holes 15 to bear against the lower portion 6 and/or spacing elements 11 to restrain them from movement in frame 2.

Bottom side 14 may be similarly received in frame 2 and be the only element secured by set screws 16 if desired.

One of the sliding blade holders is illustrated in FIG. 5 and is indicated generally by 17. All holders 17 are identical in both construction and in size.

Holder 17 is provided with a dove-tailed base 18 and an upward portion 19 extending therefrom.

Portion 19 is slotted vertically as at 20 and the slot is offset as shown.

A threaded, transversely disposed bore 21 is provided through the narrow portion of 19 and receives a set screw 22.

A second threaded, vertically disposed bore 23 is provided in the wider portion of 19 and receives a set screw 24.

A flexible cutter blade, indicated by 25, is shown fastened in one of the sliding blade holders 17 and is best seen in FIG. 4.

Blade 25 may be of a continuous loop, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or any other shape such as a straight length, or yet bent at any angle. It is held in the sliding holder 17 by set screws 22.

Operation In order to cut a preselected pattern in a material, for example, a continuous loop as shown in FIG. 1, a pair of sliding blade holders 17 are inserted into groove 13 in each of a required number of spacing elements 11. The spacing elements 11 are then inserted into grooves 5 (the bottom 14 being first removed, if attached) and the elements 11 are pushed up to abut upper portion 3 of the spider web.

Then the lower portion 6 is inserted in grooves 5 and this is pushed up to abut the lowest spacing element 11.

The bottom side 14 is similarly inserted in grooves 5 and pushed up to abut the lower end of the portion 6 and set screws 16 in legs 4 opposite bottom side 14 are tightened. This will hold the assembly together.

Then the number of sliding blade holders 17 required are placed in square cutout 7 and pushed into each groove 8 and 9 and these are also set by set screws 24 at their selected positions.

A continuous loop blade cutter 25 is then placed in all slots 20 in all blade holders 17 and secured therein by set screws 22. The knife edge of blade 25 extends above portion 19 of each holder 17 as shown.

In use, the cutting assembly may be placed (knife edge down) over the material to be out (not shown) and pressure applied thereon.

Another method is to place the assembly on a table, or like support, and place the material over the blade cutter and strike or the like.'This method is especially used when only marking of the material is required.

The arrangement shown in FIG. 1 can be altered to cut an oval instead of a loop by outward spacing of the holders 17 in spacing elements dicated by broken lines 25a.

By removal of spacing elements 11 and using only the upper and lower portions 3 and 6 of the spider web, a circular cut may rings of material by using a second circular band cutter 25b larger than band 25.

It is apparent from the foregoing, that the sliding blade holders 17 may be moved into various positions in grooves 8, 9 and 13 to support a flexible blade cutter for producing many configurations.

A series of short lengths of band. cutters can be placed one each in the holders 17 for making intermittent cuts.

Several layers of material may be cut simultaneously when desired;

Frame 2 may be made of any size to accommodate cutting of any size material, the cutting blade '25 also being of any length necessary.

The base 18 of holder 17 will hold theholder 17 tightly against thebeveled walls of the dove-tailed grooves 8, 9 and 13 by set screws 24 and prevent lateral move ment therein.

It is also possible to use preformed cutter blades in the device, since the blade holders 17 may be slid into any position in the dove-tail grooves to conform to its contour.

If only straight line cuts are to be made, the spacing elements 11 will *be used.

Triangles may be cut out in a material also by using only the spacing elements 11.

Theframe 2 will obviously have inner measurements at least larger than the largest circle to be cut.

While only a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described, other forms of the invention are contemplated and numerous changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An infinitely variable holder for flexible knives, markers or guides, comprising in combination,

(a) A rectangular frame including a fixed upper portion, and a separable bottom side, there being a longitudinal groove in each inside face of each side ofsaid frame, said upper portion having a centrally located, square cutout at its lower edge and a series of symmetrically arranged, dove-tail grooves radiating from said cutout,

then only the material with a hard rubber malletv 11, the oval being inbe made as seen in FIG. 2. If desired, concentric circular cuts can be made to form (b) A lower portion having. tongues along its sides and slidable in said grooves in said sides, there being a series of symmetrically arranged, dove-tail grooves radiating from its upper edge whereby when said lower portion is slid up in said frame to abut said upper portion, said upper and lower portions form a square and said dove-tail grooves in said lower portion will also radiate from said square cut,

(c) A series of spacing elements, each one having tongues along its sides and adapted to slide in said grooves in said sides of said frame, there being a dove-tail groove extending from side to side of each spacing element and disposed medially therein,

(d) A series of adjustable, sliding blade holders adapted to slide in said dove-tail grooves in said upper and lower portions and said spacing elements,

(e) A flexible cutting blade having a knife edge adapted to be detachably engaged in said sliding blade holders whereby said blade may be bent and held in varying forms by moving and setting said sliding holders along said dove-tail grooves, and

(f) Means in the sides of said frame for securing said bottom side, said lower portion and said spacing elements in preselected positions in said frame.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said upper portion forms four-sevenths of .a square and said lower portion forms three-sevenths of a square, said square being of outside dimensions equal to the inside width of said frame.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dovetail grooves in said upper and lower portions, said spacing elements, and, said square cutout are cut in the upper faces thereof and are of equal depth.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each said sliding blade holder comprises a dove-tail base portion,

an upwardly extending portion integral'with said base, an'offset slot in said upwardly extending portion, there being a transverse, threaded bore in said upwardly extending portion and a vertically disposed bore extending through said holder and a set screw in each threaded bore whereby a cutting blade may be secured in said slot and said holder may be set in a said dove-tail groove.

5. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said bottom side, said lower portion and said spacing elements in said frame comprises a series of transverse, spaced threaded bores in the sides of said frame and a set screw in each threaded bore opposite the memher to be secured.

No references cited.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INFINITELY VARIABLE HOLDER FOR FLEXIBLE KNIVES, MARKERS OR GUIDES, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, (A) A RECTANGULAR FRAME INCLUDING A FIXED UPPER PORTION, AND A SEPARABLE BOTTOM SIDE, THERE BEING A LONGITUDINALI GROOVE IN EACH INSIDE FACE OF EACH SIDE OF SAID FRAME, SAID UPPER PORTION HAVING A CENTRALLY LOCATED, SQUARE CUTOUT AT ITS LOWER EDGE AND A SERIES OF SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED, DOVE-TAIL GROOVES RADIATING FROM SAID CUTOUT, (B) A LOWER PORTION HAVING TONGUES ALONG ITS SIDES AND SLIDABLE IN SAID GROOVES IN SAID, THERE BEING A SERIES OF SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED, DOVE-TAIL GROOVES RADIATING FROM ITS UPPER EDGE WHEREBY WHEN SAID LOWER PORTION IS SLID UP IN SAID FRAME TO ABUT SAID UPPER PORTION, SAID UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS FORM A SQUARE AND SAID DOVE-TAIL GROOVES IN SAID LOWER PORTION WILL ALSO RADIATE FROM SAID SQUARE CUT, (C) A SERIES OF SPACING ELEMENTS, EACH ONE HAVING TONGUES ALONG ITS SIDES AND ADAPTED TO SLIDE IN SAID GROOVES IN SAID SIDES OF SAID FRAME, THERE BEING A DOVE-TAIL GROOVE EXTENDING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF EACH SPACING ELEMENT AND DISPOSED MEDIALLY THEREIN, (D) A SERIES OF ADJUSTABLE, SLIDING BLADE HOLDERS ADAPTED TO SLIDE IN SAID DOVE-TAIL GROOVES IN SAID UPPER AND LOWER PORTIONS AND SAID SPACING ELEMENTS, (E) A FLEXIBLE CUTTING BLADE HAVING A KNIFE EDGE ADAPTED TO BE DETACHABLY ENGAGED IN SAID SLIDING BLADE HOLDERS WHEREBY SAID BLADE MAY BE BENT AND HELD IN VARYING FORMS BY MOVING AND SETTING SAID SLIDING HOLDERS ALONG SAID DOVE-TAIL GROOVES, SAID (F) MEANS IN THE SIDES OF SAID FRAME FOR SECURING SAID BOTTOM SIDE, SAID LOWER PORTION AND SAID SPACING ELEMENTS IN PRESELECTED POSITIONS IN SAID FRAME. 